Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy welcome

The Chair of RUN, Prof Greg Hill, said that the strategy is a comprehensive plan to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in higher education.

The strategy also commits to improving the environment for Indigenous students at university, and promoting the understanding of Indigenous culture.

“There have been significant improvements in the participation of Indigenous Australians in higher education in recent years. UA’s strategy aims to build on these recent gains,” Professor Hill said.

“Given our commitment to increasing the participation of underrepresented groups at university, RUN has performed well above the sector average with respect to Indigenous student numbers. In 2015, 3.0 per cent of domestic, undergraduate students at RUN universities were Indigenous, above population parity of 2.7 per cent, compared to a sector-wide average of 1.6 per cent.

“The RUN Indigenous Group is working to further encourage Indigenous students to attend university, and study for a range of awards, including research degrees. Improving student success and considering ways to increase the number of Indigenous academics are issues that are being considered,” Professor Hill said.

“Implementation of the Indigenous strategy is a priority for RUN universities. We are committed to building the social capital of our communities and the nation.”